Thursday, March 04, 2010

Bad blogger!

I have been a bad blogger in so many ways, the most obvious being that I hardly ever post anymore. When I was in the thick of writing Magpie Hall, I posted far too often, probably, although I still maintain that it helped me with my writing rather than took me away from it. I am grateful that, according to my statcounter, readers continue to visit despite there not being much new to look at.

The second way I am a bad blogger is that this blog set out to be about writing and books and my thoughts thereof, and lately has turned into plugs for Magpie Hall and events I do around it. But, dear reader, don't despair and abandon me just yet. It's just that along with less time to blog now that I have twice as many children as I had a year ago, I have a fraction of the headspace to devote to thinking about the craft of writing and reading. This will not always be so. I repeat: this will not always be so. And in the meantime, while it is so, I will continue to post when I can, even if it's just to tell you about an event I'm doing, or have done, and eventually I will get back into writing poignant and witty posts about writing.

The third way I am a bad blogger is that even though I only seem to post about events I am doing or have done, I can't even get that right. I had planned to blog all about the Hamilton Gardens Festival event I did and look, two weeks have gone by and I haven't. Not only that - I intended to take photos and all I took was a picture of my aunt holding my baby and one of some fish.

So please engage your imagination and look at these pictures that don't exist:

1. The Hamilton Gardens in full festival flight with happy people everywhere and characters from Alice in Wonderland wandering around directing people to where they woule like to go, including a Duchess holding a real live baby.

2. Alexa Johnston entertaining people with tales of where the recipes for Ladies a Plate came from.

4. The items up for raffle: Ladies a Plate along with a lovely tea setting; The Swimmer's Rope along with free swimming lessons; Magpie Hall, perched in a cage with a bottle of red and some chocolates.

5. Stephanie Johnson reading and taking questions before she had to race off back to Auckland.

6. The ladies from Poppies Books, the SPCA and the Hamilton Hospice, who organised a delightful event.

7. Me, reading and talking with Karen from Poppies.

Depending on how good your imagination is, you'll see that a lovely time was had by all.

On another note, I have a booky week lined up next week, starting on Sunday for the Richard King Memorial Cricket Match in Christchurch: authors vs publishers - I may even have a bat and a bowl myself in memory of a fine fellow.

On Monday night I'm off to see Elizabeth Kostova, hosted by Women On Air, and on Tuesday I'm flying up to Wellington to catch Sarah Waters, Audrey Niffenegger, Emily Perkins, Geoff Dyer and more at the Writers and Readers Week. I may even attempt to report back, depending on whether I have become a better blogger between now and then.

Hi Mark, I think you mean The Good Word: http://tvnz.co.nz/the-good-word/good-word-s2-e6-video-3383533.xhtml

The chap you refer to is Steve Braunias, and yes, he seemed to like it which was great. I actually really enjoyed the discussion, criticism and all.

Richard King is not related to me, but I did know him a little bit. His partner Gillian runs the University Bookshop and was incredibly warm and welcoming to me when I was writer in residence at Canterbury.

Hi, I'm quite heartened after reading your blog. I've just left the 9-5 to pursue writing, working on my first novel after completing a Masters of Creative Writing. Sophie Elsworthy (sister? a collegue from work, anyway) suggested I follow up on your site...it's good to see someone doing well for themselves in a career they clearly love!

I get the mantra - been chanting a similar one lately as my son doesn't seem to want a nap lately (aided by builders next door) and scant writing is getting done. But I look at the upside and am happy I get to spend even more time with my baby and watch him - almost literally - grow!

About Me

The Sound of Butterflies was the title of my first novel, published in the UK by Picador, in the US by William Morrow and in New Zealand by Random House, and translated into eight foreign languages. In 2009 my next novel, Magpie Hall, was published in New Zealand by Random House, and in 2012 my first novel for children, Red Rocks. This blog is my thoughts on the world of writing and books.
Photo by Sharon Blance.